Apparatus for making sound metal ingots and other castings.



R. A. HADPIELD. APPARATUS FOR MAKING SOUND METAL INGOTS AND OTHERCASTINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1907..

Patented Apr.5, 1910.

' UNrrED srarEs PATENT oEEicE.

ROBERT ABBOTT'HADFIELD, 0F SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SOUND METAL INGOTS AND OTHER CASTINGS.

Specification ot Letters Patent..

.Original application filed Hay 12, 1906, Serial No. 818,451. Dividedand this application tiled Serial No. 386,273.

Patented Apr. 5, 191e.

July 30, 1907.

lfor its object more particularly to prevent or reduce the formation ofblow-holes, pipes, cavities and the like in the upper portion of steeland other metal ingots or other castings (hereinafter referred togenerically as ingots). Various means have been proposed heretofore toaccomplish the purposes which my present invention has in view,

but such means have not been fully satisfactory.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for the aboveindicated purposewhich will be convenient in ractice, 'easy ofapplication and comparatively inexpensive, an to keep the metal inf theupper portion of an ingot or other mold in the liquid conditionnecessary to enable it to flow and compensate for shrinking of the ingoton cooling and in consequence reduce the formation of blow hole cavitiesand the like in the ingot and the loss resulting therefrom. For thispurpose, according to my invention, the metal in the upper art of an inot or other mold is heated an maintaine in a liquid condition by thecombustion in contact therewith or in close proximity thereto of solidfuel, for example,I charcoal, .by means of a blast of compressed airwhich is caused to imringe on the fuel while the same is directy orindirectly supported by the metal below. To revent carburization bycontact with the burning carbonaceous fuel, and also to retard loss ofheat from metal by radiation from the upper surface thereof, a layer offusible material,-for example, slag, having no injurious action on themetal, may be interposed between the metal and the fuel.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyin drawing in whichigure 1illustrates an ingot mold together with a blast apparatus suitable forthe purposes of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a similar detail view ofthe-u er portion of the mold showing'the same Ifilled A|` indicates asuitable excavation or-pit in which the bottom B of the mold is set, onwhich is supported the mold body C having a downwardly contractedchamber and rovided with projections C which serve or the convenientlifting and carrying of the mold. At the upper portion I have shown theupwardly contracted sand head D contained in the ring E. The head Dshould preferably be of some non-conducting materia and of a depth anddiameter to suit the particular ingot which it is desired to feed withthe metal to compensate for shrinkage thereof on cooling. t In proximityto the molding pit I arrange an air supply pipe F provided with acontrolling valve F and connected at one end with a compressed airsupply main G; the other end of the hot or cold air supply pipe islocated in the open air and constructed to allow a blast of air to issuetherefrom and toibe rejected downward into the to of the mold'below.

As shown in the rawing, ythe blast device or nozzle consists of achamber or head G3 with a number of small pi es G radiating therefrom,the said pipes aviug downinverted U, or in ot er words, said pipe isformed with a gooseneck at its upper end. I prefer an arrangement inwhich the entire supply pipe F or at least the upper portion thereof maybe turned about its own vertical axis so that the blast device G3 G maybe swung 'centrally over the mold, or away to the side of it when notrequired for use. Instead of mounting the supply pipe or a portionthereof to turn, it might be otherwise movable to and fromits operativeposition.

After casting an ingot in the mold in the ordinary way, solid fuel isplaced in the upper part or head of the mold above the fluid metal withor without theinterposition of a layer of slag or equivalent protectinmaterial which may be introduced in a lui or owderedcondition. Then thedischarge en or nozzle of the air supply pipe 1s brought over the mold,and by opening the valve 'F' a -blast of airis turned on and caused toimpinge upon the 'ignited fue] below, so vas to cau-se vigorouscombustionthereof yand the production of intense heat the upper maintainthe heating operation. In this manner the metal at the top of the ingotlcanbe readily kept in the molten condition 1 necessary to largelyreduce"the formation of cavities, that is, iping in the in oty and therebyenable a telly considerable Vsaving in metal to be ei'ecte large portionof the upper lpart of the ingot has to be cut off.

The present application is a division of another application filed by mein the United `as compared with i ordinary practice, according to whicha @emes VStates Patent @mee yon May 12, 1906, Serial i210 I claim:

'The combination, 'with an upright mold, of an air blast pipe 'providedlat .its upper end with'a goosenec' mounted to swing labout the axis ofthe pipe from Ya position :above the mold to an ino erative position vinwhich the top of .the mod is left free said rgoo'seneck carrying adownwardly directed discharge nozzle at its free end."

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo sublscribing witnesses.

. lROBERT ABBOTT HADFIELD.

Witnesses: l

FRANCIS S.`MGGRATH, Ronnn'r E'MANNING.

